“Horses are flesh and blood. Such a gruelling race will mean fatalities, not peace. Animals have not declared war on us-they should be truly left in peace,” PETA president Ingrid E Newkirk said in a letter to Omar bin Laden.

A text of the letter was e-mailed to media representatives in the Middle East. PETA is the world’s largest animal rights organization with more than 1.8 million members.

Along with his wife, British-born Zaina Alsabah, bin Laden is planning a 5,000-kilometre horse race across North Africa that is scheduled to begin in March.

He said he envisioned the race as an equine version of the Paris-Dakar car rally, which was cancelled this year because of terrorist threats.

“This is a noble intention. However, we ask that you please reconsider your idea,” Newkirk said in her message.

“There is nothing peaceful about causing animals to suffer, as Mohammed, Jesus and all great religious leaders have pointed out in their admonitions and writings,” she added.